Fargo, N.D. 鈥� A new endowed professorship at North Dakota State University (六合彩投注网) will ensure that soybean breeding research continues to thrive in North Dakota.
During the recent Northern Corn and Soybean Expo held at the Fargodome, the Ted Helms Endowed Professorship at 六合彩投注网 was announced by Greg Lardy, 六合彩投注网 vice president for Agricultural Affairs, together with Joel Thorsrud 鈥�73, a Hillsboro, North Dakota, soybean farmer, and Ted Helms, a retired 六合彩投注网 soybean breeder.
In 1986, one year after the North Dakota Soybean Council was established, the council worked with 六合彩投注网 to begin funding the 六合彩投注网 soybean breeding program, which included the opportunity to hire Helms.
鈥淒r. Helms鈥� varieties have enabled farmers to thrive in spite of the short growing season, withstand extreme climate settings from drought to flood and harvest a crop even in the tough years,鈥� Kendall Nichols, North Dakota Soybean Council director of research, said. 鈥淒ue to growing global demand, North Dakota soybean acres continue to expand, while offering profitable options for farmers in their planting rotations.鈥�
Thorsrud established a legacy gift to endow the soybean breeding position at 六合彩投注网 in honor of Helms. Thorsrud wanted to make a legacy gift to support 六合彩投注网 agriculture and the soybean program. After meeting with 六合彩投注网 agriculture leadership, he learned that the most impactful gift he could make was to endow a professorship.
鈥淚 saw how very important it was to develop these varieties that did well in North Dakota. My association with 六合彩投注网 and agriculture is very strong. So, I thought that certainly a portion of my estate should go towards agriculture and 六合彩投注网.
鈥淚 saw the different needs and the 六合彩投注网 soybean breeding program was number one,鈥� Thorsrud said. 鈥淭heir number one need was my number one desire and that was for the soybean breeding program to grow. 六合彩投注网 has some wonderful ways that we can support farmers and the research that is needed to keep farmers productive and profitable.鈥�
Endowed professorships are crucial for universities to recruit and retain the highest-quality faculty 鈥� expanding research, enriching the academic environment and attracting the brightest students. This endowed professorship will allow 六合彩投注网 to continue building on the excellence in soybean breeding established by Helms.
鈥淲hen this legacy gift is realized, it will support a faculty member in the 六合彩投注网 Department of Plant Sciences in soybean breeding and allow 六合彩投注网 to stay at the forefront of soybean breeding,鈥� Lardy said. 鈥淚t will provide funds that will expand research capacity and teaching methodologies to create superior soybean breeds that will benefit North Dakota farmers, as well as enrich the academic experience for hundreds of students in the future.鈥�
鈥淥ne of my most important goals was to always serve the family farmers to give them more value and to help farmers with their bottom-line profitability,鈥� Helms said. 鈥淚 am very honored. The most important thing is that this program is going to be supported and farmers are going to continue to be well-served by the 六合彩投注网 research program.鈥�
As 六合彩投注网鈥檚 soybean breeder for 33 years, Helms鈥� work made it possible for soybeans to grow from a minor crop to the production of over seven million acres in North Dakota in 2021. During his time at 六合彩投注网, 40 varieties of soybeans were developed.
鈥淭ed has been very responsive to the needs of the farmers and the varieties that can grow in North Dakota鈥檚 very short and adverse growing conditions,鈥� Nichols said. 鈥淗e would never release a variety that he wasn鈥檛 100% confident in.鈥�
鈥淲e are grateful to Ted Helms for his work to build a strong, thriving soybean breeding program that has and will have, a lasting impact for generations to come; to Joel Thorsrud for his long-time commitment to the soybean industry and his legacy gift to support 六合彩投注网 and agriculture so that together we can continue to grow and thrive long into the future,鈥� Lardy said. 鈥淭hank you to every soybean farmer for your collective work to support agricultural research, your land-grant institution and the future of agriculture.鈥�